Emergency mode operation of a solid state drive

Abstract

A first threshold temperature is maintained for operating a solid state drive (SSD) in a first mode. A second threshold temperature is maintained for operating the SSD in a second mode in which read and write operations are performed at a higher rate than in the first mode, wherein the second threshold temperature is higher than the first threshold temperature. The SSD is switched from the first mode to the second mode, in response to an operating temperature of the SSD exceeding the first threshold temperature.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, comprising:
 maintaining a first threshold temperature for operating a solid state drive (SSD) in a first mode; 
 maintaining, a second threshold temperature for operating the SSD in a second mode in which read and write operations are performed at a higher rate than in the first mode, wherein the second threshold temperature is higher than the first threshold temperature; and 
 switching the SSD from the first mode to the second mode, in response to an operating temperature of the SSD exceeding the first threshold temperature. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first mode is a normal mode and the second mode is an emergency mode, and wherein the SSD operates in the normal mode in response to the operating temperature of the SSD not exceeding the first threshold temperature. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , the method further comprising:
 in response to determining that the operating temperature of the SSD exceeds the second threshold temperature in the emergency mode, decreasing a rate at which read and write operations are performed in the emergency mode to maintain the operating temperature at or below the second threshold temperature. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , the method further comprising:
 in response to determining that the SSD has been operating in the emergency mode for more than a predetermined amount of time, switching the SSD from the emergency mode to the normal mode. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the switching to the emergency mode is performed in response to determining that the SSD has been configured to allow operation in the emergency mode, the method further comprising:
 in response to determining that the SSD has not been configured for operation in the emergency mode performing:
 lowering a rate at which read and write operations are performed in the SSD in the normal mode, in response to the operating temperature of the SSD exceeding the first threshold temperature. 
 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 2 , the method further comprising:
 collecting time and temperature statistics during the normal mode and the emergency mode to update a life expectancy of the SSD. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the switching of the SSD from the normal mode to the emergency mode allows the SSD to complete pending read and write operations at a faster rate than in the normal mode while decreasing life expectancy of the SSD by operating at a higher temperature than in the normal mode. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus, comprising:
 a non-volatile memory; and 
 a controller that controls the non-volatile memory, wherein the controller is operable to: 
 maintain a first threshold temperature for operating the apparatus in a first mode; 
 maintain, a second threshold temperature for operating the apparatus in a second mode in which read and write operations are performed at a higher rate than in the first mode, wherein the second threshold temperature is higher than the first threshold temperature; and 
 switch the apparatus from the first mode to the second mode, in response to an operating temperature of the apparatus exceeding the first threshold temperature. 
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is a solid state drive (SSD), and wherein the first mode is a normal mode and the second mode is an emergency mode, and wherein the SSD operates in the normal mode in response to the operating temperature of the SSD not exceeding the first threshold temperature. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the controller is further operable to:
 decrease a rate at which read and write operations are performed in the emergency mode to maintain the operating temperature at or below the second threshold temperature, in response to determining that the operating temperature of the SSD exceeds the second threshold temperature in the emergency mode. 
 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the controller is further operable to:
 switch the SSD from the emergency mode to the normal mode, in response to determining that the SSD has been operating in the emergency mode for more than a predetermined amount of time. 
 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the switch to the emergency mode is performed in response to determining that the SSD has been configured to allow operation in the emergency mode, wherein the controller is further operable to:
 in response to determining that the SSD has not been configured for operation in the emergency mode perform:
 lower a rate at which read and write operations are performed in the SSD in the normal mode, in response to the operating temperature of the SSD exceeding the first threshold temperature. 
 
 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the controller is further operable to:
 collect time and temperature statistics during the normal mode and the emergency mode to update a life expectancy of the SSD. 
 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the switch of the SSD from the normal mode to the emergency mode allows the SSD to complete pending read and write operations at a faster rate than in the normal mode while decreasing life expectancy of the SSD by operating at a higher temperature than in the normal mode. 
     
     
       15. A system, comprising:
 a display; 
 a solid state drive (SSD) comprised of a non-volatile memory; and 
 a controller that controls the non-volatile memory of the SSD, wherein the controller is operable to: 
 maintain a first threshold temperature for operating the SSD in a first mode; 
 maintain, a second threshold temperature for operating the SSD in a second mode in which read and write operations are performed at a higher rate than in the first mode, wherein the second threshold temperature is higher than the first threshold temperature; and 
 switch the SSD from the first mode to the second mode, in response to an operating temperature of the SSD exceeding the first threshold temperature. 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first mode is a normal mode and the second mode is an emergency mode, and wherein the SSD operates in the normal mode in response to the operating temperature of the SSD not exceeding the first threshold temperature. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is further operable to:
 decrease a rate at which read and write operations are performed in the emergency mode to maintain the operating temperature at or below the second threshold temperature, in response to determining that the operating temperature of the SSD exceeds the second threshold temperature in the emergency mode. 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 17 , wherein the controller is further operable to:
 switch the SSD from the emergency mode to the normal mode, in response to determining that the SSD has been operating in the emergency mode for more than a predetermined amount of time. 
 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the switch to the emergency mode is performed in response to determining that the SSD has been configured to allow operation in the emergency mode, wherein the controller is further operable to:
 in response to determining that the SSD has not been configured for operation in the emergency mode perform:
 lower a rate at which read and write operations are performed in the SSD in the normal mode, in response to the operating temperature of the SSD exceeding the first threshold temperature. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is further operable to:
 collect time and temperature statistics during the normal mode and the emergency mode to update a life expectancy of the SSD. 
 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the switch of the SSD from the normal mode to the emergency mode allows the SSD to complete pending read and write operations at a faster rate than in the normal mode while decreasing life expectancy of the SSD by operating at a higher temperature than in the normal mode. 
     
     
       22. A controller coupled to a non-volatile memory of a memory device, the controller comprising logic operable to:
 maintain a first threshold temperature for operating the memory device in a first mode; 
 maintain, a second threshold temperature for operating the memory device in a second mode in which read and write operations are performed at a higher rate than in the first mode, wherein the second threshold temperature is higher than the first threshold temperature; and 
 switch the memory device from the first mode to the second mode, in response to an operating temperature of the memory device exceeding the first threshold temperature. 
 
     
     
       23. The controller of  claim 22 , wherein the memory device is a solid state drive (SSD), and wherein the first mode is a normal mode and the second mode is an emergency mode, and wherein the SSD operates in the normal mode in response to the operating temperature of the SSD not exceeding the first threshold temperature. 
     
     
       24. The controller of  claim 23 , wherein the logic is further operable to:
 decrease a rate at which read and write operations are performed in the emergency mode to maintain the operating temperature at or below the second threshold temperature, in response to determining that the operating temperature of the SSD exceeds the second threshold temperature in the emergency mode. 
 
     
     
       25. The controller of  claim 24 , wherein the logic is further operable to:
 switch the SSD from the emergency mode to the normal mode, in response to determining that the SSD has been operating in the emergency mode for more than a predetermined amount of time.